[CPurvis]

Thought I would share what I found to distribute more weight to the bow while I am fishing from the platform solo. These are 5 gallon water totes that i can collapse to fit through the bulkhead hatch. 5 gallons should provide approx. 40 pounds up front.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

I just chunk my tackle bag up front, it’s more like 50#

 

[Zika]

Good idea.

Smack, I thought you were scaling back to only three lures? Do you carry 30 of each?

 

[Copahee Hound]

I use to use a heavy rotomolded cooler (insert name here) with ice, beverages, and lunch, that was about 50+ lbs in the front to serve dual purpose for solo days.

 

[el9surf]

In the past I have kept a cooler with a 5 gallon bucket inside. With the cooler and bucket I could probably add 75 +lbs to balance everything out. I like the idea of the collapsable water storage

 

[Capnredfish]

Water totes are a good idea. How about some 50lb lead ballast bags. Easy to move and no water to fill or empty.

 

[CPurvis]

I just chunk my tackle bag up front, it’s more like 50#

Yeah me too as well as a coller of ice and drinks. This will even it out a bit more.

 

[CPurvis]

Water totes are a good idea. How about some 50lb lead ballast bags. Easy to move and no water to fill or empty.

Because thes were free!

 

[CPurvis]

In the past I have kept a cooler with a 5 gallon bucket inside. With the cooler and bucket I could probably add 75 +lbs to balance everything out. I like the idea of the collapsable water storage

Yeah i have a 35qt roto cooler i keep ice and drinks in as well up ftont for a platform.

 

[Capnredfish]

Free is even better. But we all know this is an “I have a better idea forum”.

 

[SkiffsDoWha]

Always thought about putting a bag they use for ballast on wake boats under my front deck and hooking it up to a couple pumps -one incoming one outgoing- for this purpose while under power. Will be interested to hear how your solution comes out.

 

[CPurvis]

Always thought about putting a bag they use for ballast on wake boats under my front deck and hooking it up to a couple pumps -one incoming one outgoing- for this purpose while under power. Will be interested to hear how your solution comes out.

Trying it out first thing in the morning. Ill let you know.

 

[el9surf]

I'm still waiting for someone to put a built in ballast tank in a small skiff that utilizes a raw water pick up so we can eliminate the need for bags and coolers when fishing solo. Been waiting for years but haven't seen anyone do it yet. Would be a lot easier than filling 5 gallon buckets of water. That's my idea so you all heard it here first!

 

[Copahee Hound]

Always thought about putting a bag they use for ballast on wake boats under my front deck and hooking it up to a couple pumps -one incoming one outgoing- for this purpose while under power. Will be interested to hear how your solution comes out.

This is hilarious to me! I grew up on the lake wake boarding With ballasts before moving to the salt after school, and I never would have thought that little fishing boats would actually envy adding weight in a different aspect until this thread. I’m in awe of how innovations can come full circle, I just don’t know of any of these boats having the space to actually make this work

 

[hipshot]

I just chunk my tackle bag up front, it’s more like 50#

Wow! Wish I had fifty pounds of flies......

 

[WhiteDog70810]

I'm still waiting for someone to put a built in ballast tank in a small skiff that utilizes a raw water pick up so we can eliminate the need for bags and coolers when fishing solo. Been waiting for years but haven't seen anyone do it yet. Would be a lot easier than filling 5 gallon buckets of water. That's my idea so you all heard it here first!

...and that, children, is how livewells in the bow resurged in popularity.

Nate

 

[el9surf]

...and that, children, is how livewells in the bow resurged in popularity.

Nate

In my mind I had envisioned some sort of under the deck tank without hatch access, just a holding tank. But hell put a hatch on it and call it a live well that's fine too.

 

[CPurvis]

...and that, children, is how livewells in the bow resurged in popularity.

Nate

Livewell in the bow sounds like a not so good idea too me. LOL

 

[CPurvis]

Trying it out first thing in the morning. Ill let you know.

Worked out good! Did exactly what i wanted it to do and picked up a bit of speed as well ( Wasnt expecting that.) But after seeing the sand bags I might invest in a couple just for the space savings under the bow.

 

[CPurvis]

In my mind I had envisioned some sort of under the deck tank without hatch access, just a holding tank. But hell put a hatch on it and call it a live well that's fine too.

Seems like the bait would get beat to death and all the spray that everyone behind the livewell would take on would be not so good in my book.